Flare walked down the halls, his expression cast ahead, flat like a marble statue, or one of her own wooden carvings.

Since he was clearly preoccupied with whatever he was thinking, Artemis let her gaze roam over the walls. They were made of smooth stone with veins of gold dancing through, gems placed here and there in red and blue streaks like sunbeams. There were carvings of clouds inlaid with more gold and marble dragons with flames in their talons. The walls told a story, but Artemis couldn't quite figure it out yet.

It was very bright and open, big enough for Artemis and Flare to walk side by side with their wings fully spread if they wished. Natural sunlight filtered the halls, it was nowhere near dark inside. Gemstones like diamonds and rubies decorated smaller parts of the floor and ceiling. Gold talon prints were scoured across the floor, and Artemis bemusedly stepped on the more reoccurring patches.

Skywings sure like to advertise their wealth. She thought. But I must admit, it's absolutely beautiful.

"Almost there." Flare announced, his long tail lashing against the floor as a unexpected look of anxiety crossed his face. Artemis notes that his scales were so red they perfectly matched the gems in the walls that they passed.

He immediately covered it, but it left Artemis wondering- what could he have to be worrying about?

They kept walking for a little longer, until they reached a set of heavy red-wood doors. Flare's chest heaved with a long sigh. Artemis looked at him with deep confusion, and arched a brow at the Skywing. She shifted her talons, feeling awkward still in her new form.

He put a large wing over her back, and she noticed he had a sweet smell of pine sap and sugar wafting over his scales.

"We're here." He whispered. Why he decided to do so was beyond her. "Let me do the talking. You will understand why in just a moment."

Artemis nodded slowly. She was a bit miffed, but kept her mouth shut.

"Stick by my side." Flare mumbled as he pushed open the doors, a strict tone seeping into his voice as he closed his big wings. He quickly slipped into the room.

They walked inside, and Artemis was practically blinded. Gold, red, and more gold. Everywhere. She had never seen so much in all of the moons she'd been alive. She and Flare walked on what seemed to be a silk carpet, which thankfully, was red.

Sunlight flooded onto the floors, walls, and everywhere else. But all was not pristine and flawless. Varied splotches of deep scarlet and crimson littered the long carpet in a marbling effect. But it also looked quite a bit like blood. Artemis hoped it was just for decoration. But she steered clear just in case.

They approached a simple stone throne inlaid with rubies. Upon it sat a dark red Skywing, who had a fairly long tail and neck, and a regal face. There was no doubt she was a queen. She gazed down at them both, more tiny rubies littered in her scales clicked faintly as she did so. The Skywing wore chains upon chains of silver and diamonds. This dragon was a walking treasury in Artemis' eyes.

A wide smile curled on her lips as she laid her eyes on Flare, who stared back defiantly. She seemed wholeheartedly amused.

"Flare." She nodded to the bright red Skywing, who said nothing in return. Her voice was smooth but fake, and Artemis had to wonder what she really sounded like.

"Queen Ruby." Flare said flatly, bowing his head. Artemis followed his example- she did not want something of hers to decorate this carpet.

Ruby rolled her eyes, slithering off her throne. "Please, little brother. No need to be so formal." She flicked her tongue out of her mouth, gazing down at Artemis with the gaze of a hawk.

Little brother? Artemis thought as she gave the Skywing a hard stare, trying to avoid Ruby's eyes. Flare looked up at Ruby guiltily.

He isn't the only one with a secret.

The thought bubbled up into her head, refusing to leave.

"Who is this young dragonet?" Ruby said and turned to Flare, pointing at Artemis while she kept a raised brow.

"Your majesty, my name is Melt. " Artemis said, choking back the strangling lump in her throat as she forced out the lie. She spread her wings and tilted her head down, the bow low and non-threatening. The queen made her nervous- she couldn't help but think back to Lance.

Ruby tapped her chin. "Well, Melt. I'm afraid I haven't seen you before."

"She just escaped her captors." Flare blurted, and Artemis was grateful for it, even though he didn't know he was helping out.

"She's been held prisoner for quite a long time. So long she forgot what it was like to fly." He nudged Artemis at the last part, and she automatically lifted her wings back and nodded.

Ruby turned her gaze to Artemis, sympathy appearing on her face.

"Poor thing!" She exhaled. "Have you found your parents yet?"

"They're dead." Artemis whispered. She felt her wings tremble. Not for emphasis, but because she was truthfully terrified.

"Three moons," Ruby frowned, looking to her side. There stood a yellow and orange scaled guard Artemis hadn't seen before.

Probably because pretty much everything else was yellow and gold, as was this dragon.

"Get this poor little dragonet a place to stay in my palace. I want her to have a nice big room with a large window." She declared. "I also want her fed and taken care of, right now."

"Your majesty-" the young guard began, his chipped armor making a shhshhshhshh noise as he tapped the ground with a foot.

"Now." Ruby barked. He squinted and yelped, nodding vigorously.

"Yes ma'am." The guard looked at Artemis. "Follow me."

"Wait!" Flare called, but the guard was already sweeping Artemis away.

"No no, little brother." Ruby said, stepping in front of Flare. "You and I need to chat."

Artemis just caught his rust colored eyes as the guard shoved her forwards. "Let's go, lets go!" He shouted. "I have other things to do."

~~~~~~~~~~

He walked her down the gold veined hallways, until he suddenly stopped at a large wooden door. Artemis found that rather funny considering how flammable Skywings were known to be.

Panting, the guard reached to his side where six keys dangled from a loose belt. He picked a plain brass key and stuck it in the keyhole of the lock. He turned it and there was a small click, then the doors went swinging open.

"There." Said the yellow guard, shoving Artemis in. "Dinner is at sundown, there will also be a show. Don't destroy anything."

"Okay?" She said, tripping over her black talons.

The guard was about to walk away. Exasperated, but grateful, Artemis called out.

"Wait!"

He huffed in annoyance, turning back around. "What?"

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Gust." He said, settling his wings down to his side.

Artemis half smiled at him. He seemed impatient, but she wanted to be kind. "Thank you, Gust."

He opened his mouth to respond, but his expression suddenly softened. "No dragon like you has ever told me thank you." He mumbled. "Funny."

"Well, I just did." Artemis said, dipping her head. "Have a good rest of the day, Gust."

Gust just stood there with a shocked expression, eventually getting up and edging back down the hall, clutching the key.

Artemis shook her head and closed the door, ready to explore her new room for the day. As she walked inside, the smell of vanilla and pollen-ridden air assaulted her nostrils, making her sneeze repeatedly.

After her sneezing fit, she dazedly wandered around the brightly lit room. There was a huge window overlooking the Skywing village and a small stream, big enough for whoever stayed in her room to go out and fly as they pleased.

The mountains around them cast huge shadows, but also let in enormous amounts of light. She could see dots of red, yellow and orange circling overhead, obviously soldiers on the lookout.

Artemis stepped away from the window, staring at the fur covered sleeping platform that sat in the middle of the room. Downy pillows were strewn across it in a purposeful messy way. It was nice and cozy, yet it gave her a satisfying feeling of freedom, for the first time in her life.

The setting sun flooded in and made the room glow a fiery red- tiny rubies and sapphires hung from the walls and sides which cast blue and red prisms of colored light. Torches lined the entrance to her room, giving even more warmth than needed. She walked along one of the walls, where shelves of scrolls sat and tapestries hung.

The first tapestry was a picture of a sunset, with five dragons circling the red orb. The first was a large orange female, small red dots that looked like rubies lined her scales. Scarlet, Artemis remembered reading about her from her scrolls. The second was a familiar dark red Skywing, who Artemis easily recognized as Queen Ruby.

The third was an actual scarlet color, he had dark red horns and talons like the rest, with white dots like diamonds under his eyes and on his neck. She had no clue who this dragon was. The fourth was a dark red like Ruby, but he was mostly plain. The very last was a smaller, bright red Skywing with a yellow underbelly, and dark horns and spikes who matched a dragon Artemis knew perfectly. It was Flare.

She traced the delicate tapestry with a talon, wondering about the family and who the two strangers were. But, that was not her business to know.

Artemis walked the rest of the way, finding two more tapestries. One was a portrait of Ruby that perfectly captured her regal stature, and the second a random Skywing blowing fire at a very unlucky looking Icewing.

She shuddered at the last tapestry, thinking of Snowfall, and headed back to the sleeping platform. Laying down with her tail draped over her snout, she stared at the gold scales she now called her own.

You'll never get back. She thought to herself as she began to close her eyes. Might as well accept it...

But as she was about to close her eyes, a bright light shone into her view, momentarily blinding her right eye. She lifted her head in confusion and frustration, searching for the offending source of the light.

As she crawled from the platform, she could clearly see a faint glow from under one of the shelves.

"What in the name of Queen Glory is that?" She wondered as she reached the shelves. Artemis stretched her talon under it into the opening, feeling her talons come in contact with a smooth, cold, object. Grabbing it, she pulled it from its hiding place.

A cylinder tube sat in her talons, about the length of her talon tip to her elbow. It was very cold, and simple, and seemed to be made of silver. She studied the tube, trying to decipher the strange engravings on its side. When she turned it it the flat side, one part was deep like an imprint. The symbol was a circle, with four objects curling around it and meeting in the center.

The other side was the same way, but there was a piece of something stuck in the very middle. She took her sharpest talon and began to claw at the object, utterly surprised when a small black gemstone chunk fell into her grasp. It couldn't have been bigger than her eye. She quietly set down the tube and examined the black gem.

Artemis gawked when she realized the cold feeling and heavy weight, only to determine it was black onyx, like the necklace dangling from her chest... If she looked close enough, a small dip in the center of her necklace could be seen, like a piece had fallen out. She had always assumed it was just meant to be that way.

What are you doing? Artemis though to herself as she sat back on her hind legs. She took the tiny gemstone and her necklace, the center glittering like fallen star shards.

Carefully positioning the gem piece, she set it in her necklace's gap. Suddenly, a purple light erupted from the break's outline, but it vanished as soon as it came. It left behind a whole necklace, gleaming mischievously.

She stared at her lucky necklace in awe. She was shocked it repaired itself, just like that.

Artemis picked up the silver tube, determination written across her face. Feeling compelled to do so, she held the tube so the first imprint was facing up.

Taking her necklace, she gently pressed it into the slot. It didn't take long until the sound of clicking told her it was put into the perfect position, like Ruby's gemstones in her scales.

Removing it from the first side, she flipped the tube over, pressing the necklace into it like the other side once more. With another small click, the necklace sunk into place. A small smile forced its way onto her face as the last part fell into place.

With a hiss of dry, rushing air, the first part snapped open. An old weathered scroll slid from the silver tube. Artemis' eyes widened in shock as the rest of the tube snapped open as well, and a tiny box tumbled out.

As if it's work was done, the tube gave a sigh and another hiss, the silver beginning to melt and bubble away- all until it shrunk into a plain armband. Stunned, Artemis picked up the armband in violently shaking talons, setting it aside.

She picked up the old scroll next with just as much shaking, so it took a great deal of time to unravel the worn parchment without ripping it. It had writing. In faint, scrawny letters, she could barely read-

Twin Island Navigations

Twin Islands? She wondered. Like the prophesied Twin Islands? Artemis continued reading.

A Deepwing Guide

Under the scrawly writing was a heavily inked picture that did indeed look like two islands that took the shape of dragons. The first island was drawn with many mountains and forests, and smaller islands branched off the bottom. At the front of the first island in bold lettering read, Day Kingdom, Queen Solar's Palace.

The words sent a cold shiver down Artemis's spine, and the image of the Daywing Queen materialized into view. She was really starting to hate the sun an all things related to it.

She continued on, observing small islands and then the second large one. She found more places. The Lava Kingdom along with Queen Volcano's Stronghold was on a remote island that looked like it was made of shattered earth. The second plainly read Kingdom of Crystals over a bunch of mountains.

The second island had a cluster of tiny ones overhead, which had a label most clearly written Kingdom of the Deep, Queen Angler's Fortress.

"Are there really more tribes out there?" Artemis wondered. She kept finding more parts to the islands, and more areas and kingdoms.

Stone Kingdom, Queen Bat's Castle.

Scavenger Reserve

Kingdom of Magic, Queen Shade's Palace.

Ancient Animus Tree

Kingdom of Storms, Queen Zap's Palace

Broken-Tail Barren lands.

Her heart thudded against her chest, with excitement, fear, and wonder. She found it! Artemis had no idea why, or how, but she found it! The dragon staying here before her must've had it. The prophecy was coming into play somehow.

But where did they get it? Did they open it or was she the first one to? How long had it been here? Why was it in her very room, and not in the hundreds of others? Her mind raced with thoughts, so many thoughts that she didn't hear the knock at her door.

"MELT!" A familiar voice yelled, startling Artemis into almost jumping out of her scales. She hissed and readjusted herself, feeling quite undignified.

"Flare!" She grumbled, hurriedly putting away the map. "What is it?"

"Dinner!" He called. "Also, my sister wants to see you afterwards! She has a special thing reserved just for you. Only you." A hint of uneasiness made its way through his excitement, and Artemis paused.

"Okay? Be right there."

"Hurry up, she'll have my head if you don't!" Flare warned.

She tumbled to the door, not bothering for grace after hearing that comment. She swung it open, facing Flare. He smiled half heartedly and held out a wing.

"Shall we?" He asked, raising a brow despite the fact he just commented on how could've been beheaded. That and the fact he sounded serious. Artemis smiled back and forced a short laugh.

"Let's go." She said, watching Flare stride down the hallways.

She wasn't so intent on going to dinner, she was more determined to find out more about the Twin Islands, her necklace, and Queen Solar. But for now, that'd have to be canceled. Artemis could brainstorm and plan all she liked, but it didn't change the fact she had a Skywing Prince waiting for her.